Senior Reporter
The Kabale Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Ronald Bakak, has launched fresh inquiries into the mishandling of funds allocated for the Kabale Journalists Emyooga Sacco.
Individuals involved in embezzlement have been given a 30-day deadline to reimburse the misused funds.
In 2022, Kabale District Commercial Officer, Erasmus Natuhamya, presented an audit report uncovering significant mismanagement within the Kabale Journalists Emyooga Sacco. The report highlighted a lack of proper financial documentation, including cash books, payment vouchers, and receipt books.
Natuhamya also revealed that the Sacco’s chairperson, Moses Henry Tahoreraho, had consolidated power, overseeing various committees without adequate oversight. Moreover, Tahoreraho purportedly admitted non-journalists into the Sacco and distributed loans without proper consultation.
Former Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Darius Nandinda, authorized the arrest of those implicated in the alleged mismanagement of 36 million Ugandan Shillings provided by the government as initial capital.
During the media-friendly football match in Kabale’s municipal stadium last Sunday, Bakak emphasized the importance of holding Sacco leaders accountable. He announced that investigations had uncovered leaders misusing funds for personal gain.
Bakak disclosed that the government, through the Microfinance Support Center, had deposited 30 million Ugandan Shillings, with leaders disbursing 16 million Shillings in loans, but only 1 million Shillings had been recovered. He requested bank statements within 14 days to track the transactions and issued a 30-day ultimatum for the repayment of outstanding loans obtained from the SACCO.
